The tough stand of the government comes a day after US ambassador at-Large for international religious freedom David Saperstein said on Monday that US was hopeful of Indian government “accommodating” their concerns about Compassion international.
Despite strong US pressure, India has decided to stick to its decision of keeping Colorado-based child rights donor agency, Compassion International under prior permission watch list.
Highly placed government sources said, the government has no plans to remove Compassion International from the prior permission category under which it was put in May this year on Intelligence Bureau's assessment report for being involved in religious conversions.
The tough stand of the government comes a day after US ambassador at-Large for international religious freedom David Saperstein said on Monday that US was hopeful of Indian government “accommodating” their concerns about Compassion international.
"We are deeply concerned when civil society organizations who act peacefully are restricted from carrying out their obligations by the government. We really hope that groups like Compassion International, who have indicated they are willing to live by the laws of the land will be allowed to continue their partnership here,” said Saperstein adding the donor agency has communicated that if there have been any violations, though they have seen no documentation, they will fix it.
However, the government official said Official said there are no plans to entertain US request and take Compassion International out from the prior permission watch list as, he claimed, there have been cases where people have been given inducements to convert their religion which country's anti-conversion law does not permit.
"The home ministry is only allowing Compassion to given grant to NGOs on case to case basis as per the prior permission category rules. So far we have got request to clear grant for 35 NGOs of which we cleared grant for 10 NGOs last month. We have received report on nine more NGOs and will soon release the grant to them if they are found not involved in religious conversions, "said the source.
The home ministry had cleared Compassion's grant of Rs. 2 crore to 10 NGOs last month.
Last week, in what seemed India was softening its stand, additional secretary of foreigner division, Bipin Mallick, who was instrumental in cracking down on several NGOs was transferred to another division.
Informed sources, however, believe that the government decided not to soften its stand fearing backlash from strong anti-conversion Hindu lobby back at home.
A few days back, top American lawmakers had expressed grave concern over the alleged curbs imposed on a Christian charity organisation, whose representatives appeared before a Congressional hearing seeking change in New Delhi's policies related to foreign funding of NGOs.
"It is my hope that by bringing attention to this issue, as we're doing here today, the 145,000 children will not be tragically denied the services they desperately need, and that American families... can continue to send the US $38 a month for food and education fees to the poorest of the poor," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Relations Committee had said in his opening remarks.
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